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Friday, December 7, 2012

Never Forget Pearl Harbor Day: December 7

On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941 America's naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked by the forces of the Empire of Japan. More than 2,400 Americans were killed and more than 1,100 were wounded. The attack sank four U.S. Navy battleships and damaged four more. It also damaged or sank three cruisers, three destroyers, one minelayer and damaged 188 aircraft.

What do people do?

On the direction of the President, the flag of the United States of
America should be displayed on the homes of Americans, the White House
and all United States government buildings. The flag should be flown at
half-mast to honor those who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Many associations, especially those linked with Pearl Harbor
survivors or those who died from the attack, participate in special
services to commemorate the event. Memorial services are held at venues
such as the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. Other
activities include: wreath-laying ceremonies; keynote speeches by those
associated with the event; luncheons; media stories on survivors’
recollections of the Pearl Harbor attack; and school activities to
educate students about the attack on Pearl Harbor in relation to World
War II history.

Public life

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is not a federal holiday. Government
offices, schools, businesses and other organizations do not close.
Public transit systems run on their regular schedules. Some
organizations may hold special events in memory of those killed or
injured in Pearl Harbor.

Background

On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, the American Army and Navy base
in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The
attack came as a surprise to the American Army and Navy and lead to
great losses of life and equipment. More than 2000 American citizens
were killed and more than 1000 were injured. The Americans also lost a
large proportion of their battle ships and nearly 200 aircraft that were
stationed in the Pacific region. More than 60 Japanese servicemen were
killed, injured or captured. The Japanese Navy also lost five midget
submarines and 29 aircraft.

The Japanese military had hoped that the attack on Pearl Harbor would
prevent the United States of America from increasing her influence in
the Pacific. However, the events in Pearl Harbor actually led to the
escalation of World War II. The day after the attack, the United States
declared war on Japan and so entered World War II. President Franklin
Roosevelt in a speech to Congress stated that the bombing of Pearl
Harbor was “a date which will live in infamy.” Shortly afterwards,
Germany also declared war on the United States. In the months that
followed the attack, the slogan “Remember Pearl Harbor” swept the United
States and radio stations repeatedly played a song of the same name.

In 1991, which marked the 50th anniversary of the attack on Pearl
Harbor, the United States Congress established the Pearl Harbor
Commemorative Medal. This is also known as the Pearl Harbor Survivor's
Medal and can be awarded to any veteran of the United States military
who were present in or around Pearl Harbor during the attack by the
Japanese military. The medal can be awarded to civilians, who were
killed or injured in the attack.

Symbols

Memorials have been built to remember or to symbolize the day. For example, the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor is a marble memorial built over the sunken USS Arizona,
which was dedicated in 1962. The memorial remembers all military
personnel who were killed in the Pearl Harbor attack. The memorial was
designed by architect Alfred Preis, an Austrian-born resident who lived
in Honolulu and was placed at a detainment camp after the Pearl Harbor
attack as part of the internment policy of Japanese and German Americans
at the time.

Another memorial that commemorates Pearl Harbor Day is the USS Utah, a battleship that was attacked and sunk in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. A memorial to honor the crew of the USS Utah
was dedicated on the northwest shore of Ford Island, near the ship's
wreck, in 1972. The ship was added to the National Register of Historic
Places and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1989. It is also
Utah’s official state ship. Memorabilia, books, and movies about the
attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 have also been made available to the
public over the years.

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